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Announcing 2018 as the Year of Engineering!

20 November 2017

The Government’s national campaign will increase awareness and understanding of what engineers do among young people aged 7-16, their parents and their teachers.

The campaign will encourage young people from all backgrounds to take a closer look at engineering, challenging stereotypes and showcasing the variety and creativity of this forward-looking and innovative sector.

The UK Space Agency will be supporting the campaign by funding a series of education and outreach projects designed to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The seven new projects will receive £210,000 of funding. They include Monitoring the Environment, Learning for Tomorrow (MELT) which will allow students to understand and analyse key earth observation data relating to the North and South Pole.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will also be joining forces with government, industry and other organisations as part of the campaign to showcase inspiring examples of engineering, tackle the engineering skills gap and widen the pool of young people who join the profession.

EPSRC Chief Executive, Professor Philip Nelson, said: “Engineers play a vital role in the UK whose work can be seen and felt in every area of society, from transport and energy to healthcare and communications.

“It is an exciting and varied discipline with the potential to transform the world, driving improvements that will be enjoyed by all and delivering long-term growth.

“EPSRC is proud to support the Year of Engineering and looks forward to further inspiring the engineers of tomorrow.”

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Head of Education Peter Finegold said in response to the UK Government’s launch of the Year of Engineering:

“It is very timely that Government is taking steps to boost the profile of engineering. We hope that by working with industry and academia, the Year of Engineering will help to show the public the vital role engineering plays in society.

“From developing more efficient transport through to developing medical equipment, engineers around the country are working to improve the world we live in.

“Given the chronic shortage of graduate and apprentice engineers, we especially hope this campaign play a key role in support of the imminent Industrial Strategy white paper.”

To celebrate the announcement, Year of Engineering partners are highlighting some of the many different ways that individuals and organisations can #inspireanengineer on social media – follow the hashtag on Twitter to find out more.